1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a round bale feeder for transporting and unwinding round bales of hay or like material.
2. Prior Art
In the last few year, the common rectangular-sectioned hay bale as produced by the conventional harvesting apparatus is being replaced by a cylindrical-sectioned bale of about 6 feet in diameter, 4 to 6 feet long and weighing between 1500 and 3,000 pounds. Such a bale requires mechanized lifting, transporting and distributing or feeding means. Commonly, the bale is rolled or carried by a device to where it is to be fed to cattle, where it is commonly unwound by rolling it down a slope, similarly to unrolling a carpet. This method is unpredictable as the distribution of hay cannot be easily controlled and sometimes a large proportion of the hay is fouled by the cattle before it is eaten and thus is wasted. Also this method of distribution requires a slope, and therefore on level ground other means of distribution are required.
Some mechanical distributing or feeding devices require accurate journalling of the bale on powered end plates whilst the bale is unrolled along the ground. This is unpractical because commonly the bales are not truly cylindrical and tend to disintegrate adjacent the centre. Other distribution devices include a device which cuts the hay in the bale with rotating knives. This latter device requires expensive and powerful equipment, and, if the hay is to be distributed in this manner on a windy day, much of the hay can be blown away before it reaches the ground, resulting in excessive scattering and subsequent wasting of the hay.